I have been watching the BBC Series "Fall of Eagles" when I have time. It is a chronicle of the fall of the three reigning monarchies in Central Europe just before WWI. It's portrayal of the Habsburgs, Hohenzollerns, and Romanovs is fascinating. While it is obvious that each of these monarchs in their own way contributed to their own downfall, the family I feel for are the Romanovs. The Habsburgs and Hohenzollerns at least were able to go into exile and live out their lives. Not so the Romanovs. The entire family, the tsar, his wife, and all five children, were executed in June 1918.

This Day in History:On February 23, 1917, a series of meetings and rallies were held on the occasion of the International Women's Day, which gradually turned into what is now known as the February Revolution. In what city did this occur?